Learning about new fangled gear.

[Ginja]

I'm self employed, I'm the main climber, I was taught to climb the ol fashioned way. I try to spare the time to keep up with the gadgets and gizmos you all waffle on about but can't decipher the 'life changing kit' from the 'expensive for just showing off' stuff.

 

I just got a petzl sequoia (brilliant for ladies) I love it, was on a butterfly before that that killed my hips. I use a rope with a blake hitch, and a steel core with a clogger. Simples (I cringed as I typed that, flipping merkats!!).

 

What I really want to know, out of all these hitches and fancy alloy bits, what is actually useful. What new kit have you bought recently that you would not be without/couldn't be without now you have it.

 

Tell me why as well, No one word answers please!

 

I really would appreciate it, there seems to be a sea of this stuff out there!

 

Thanks Chaps & Chapessess.

Ginja

[[email protected]]

i too am in your situation pal.

self employed,main climber,climb on a prussik loop system with s/core flipline.I too would like to have gizmos explained and whats top and whats not.

i recently bought an isc rope grab and set up an ascent system that works especially well when you have installed your rope with a throwline ,when your a few feet away from anything to purchase with your feet.Other than that im a dinosaur!!

[Dak]

Hitchclimber, VT and pulleysavers are a good start.

 

Have a look at treemagineers.com/downloads/hitch_climbers_guide.pdf

[slimjimvw]

Any thing that reduces friction is genuinely useful imho i,e Cambium savers or pulleysavers.

 

Also a single handed tending side/positional strop, something like a short tied Distel with a small pulley , the DMM pinto is excellent as its so much more than a pulley.

[David Goss]

Life changing they are not but making life easier they do well. I was like you, up to about a year and a half ago i was still climbing on a prussic. I often used srt to gain access to the crown however as it was a killer body thrusting up 20 meters. I now use a spiderjack and love it to bits, its expensive i know and it really took me a long time to talk myself into buying it but i dont regret it for 1 second. All the new gear has a purpose but not all of it will be for you, try to just think what parts of your climbing system can be improved and slowly bring yourself round to buying a couple new bits of kit. Micro pulleys would be a good start and changing your prussic for a vt or the likes wont break the bank but will give you a good base to begin your discovery. I have a second line that i use when i am doing stuff in the wet or trees with lots of resin etc and i tend to use this as my experimental line trying new ideas and friction hitches etc. Still have my trusted prussic on my flipline / side strop though, dont think i will ever change that.

[Paul Smith]

My must have is the ART positioner with a looooong lanyard. Used in conjunction with my Treemotion lower D's it is often used as a second anchor point and can be released or adjusted under load. Also the ART rope guide and Spiderjack, in fact anything ART!

[James Atkinson]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydt-hUT6aGE]Hitch Climber Set-Up - YouTube[/ame]

this video will explain a hitch climber very easily, the difference is you don't body thrust under your knot, but climb above the knot hand over hand, pulling the slack through, under the pulley wheel, much easier to branch walk in and generally move around.

personall i use like deer man, ART gear, spiderjack especially video for this is [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBfyrzZzsvk]Spiderjackery III - YouTube[/ame] a must watch, again a lot more money but worth it in my opinion, especially with some find of rolling cambium saver such as this one [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_zDuHgVbBk&feature=related]pulleySAVER - YouTube[/ame] picture paints a thousand words thats what i say, hope this helps

[Mark Bolam]

Pantin is a cheap piece of gear you will never regret buying on some jobs.

[WorcsWuss]

lots of gear out there. - mastercard:blushing:

 

VT? i still cant see the benefit.

 

as for descents, i used to rappel of big stuff on a figure 8, so i prefer a nice light prussic and good leather gloves for the speed

 

Even I love this knot... easy to tie.... with a small amount of fiddling it runs nicely, grips nicely, tuneable.... I love it...

 

I still rappel on a figure8 just for the fun of it

[Dak]

VT's a great knot but each to their own!

 

I often use a Knut too, basically a HC and what ever hitch you prefer:thumbup: